Safety feed-water controller for boilers.



I'. WALLACE & P. ERNST. SAFETY FEED WATER GoNTEoLLEE PoR EoILEEs.

APPLIOATION-PILED NOV. 8, 1912.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

2 sEEETs-EEEET 1.

coLUMBlA PLANOGRAPH co.,wAsMINa'rcN. D. c

F. WALLACE & E'. ERNST.

SAFETY FEED WATER CONTROLLER PoR BOILEBS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1912.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 2.

6MM@ e.

CcLU MMMMMM ANoG ccccccc wAsHlNGToN, D. c

FRED WALLACE AND FRED ERNST, or EDEN, NEW YORK;

SAFETY FEED-WATER CONTROLLER FOR BOILER-S.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. so, 1913.

Application filed November 8, 1912. Serial No. 730,258.

ToaZZ 107mm t may concern Beit known that we, F RED VALLAGE and 'FREDERNST, citizens of the United States,

residing at Eden, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Safety Feed-Water Controllersfor Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety feed water controllers for boilers, themain object of the invention being to provide a device which willindicate the level of the water in the boiler at all times, and which isadapted to automatically cut oft' the flow of water to the boiler whenthe water in the boiler is at its normal high level. a

A further object of the invention is to provide a controller which willautomatically let on the ow of water to the boiler when the water in thelatter flows to a predetermined extent below the normal level, and whichin the event of the failure of the pump to work when the water levelreaches a predetermined low point, will automatically sound an alarmtoiwarn the engineer of the condition of affairs. y

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which :H

Figures 1 and 2 are opposite side elevations of a safety feed watercontroller constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 3 is avertical longitudinal section through the controller, showing Athe partsin normal position, as when the water in the boiler is at normal highlevel. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the position of the parts whenthe water in the boiler falls below the normal minimum level. Figs. 5and 6 are horizontal sections on the lines 5 5 and 6-6 of Fig. 3.

In carrying our invention into practice, we provide a controllerarranged in the line of How of the feed water from its source of supplyto the boiler, said controller embodying a cylindrical vertical casing 1closed by top and bottom heads 2 and 3. Connected to the upper head 2 bya coupling 4 is a valve casing 5 having opposed ports 6 and 7 which arein communication respectively with water supply and delivery pipes 8 and9, the latter being connected in practice with the usual automatic pumpfor delivering the water to the boiler.

'The lower head 3 is connected by a short pipe sect-ion 10 and coupling11 with a pipe 12 communicating with the boiler, whereby water isadmitted to the casing 1, in which the level of the water at all timesaccords with the level of the water in the boiler. Connected with thecoupling 11 is a drain valve 13 through which any sediment settling inthe bottom of the casing may be drawn off, or through which the water inthe casing may be discharged when it is desired to dismantle thecontroller for repairs or other purposes.

Disposed within the valve casing 5 is a vertically movable controllingvalve 14, said valve being of the tapered plug type and provided withvertical passages 15 for the free flow of air therethrough in order toprevent it from becoming air bound. This valve is connected with theupper end of a valve rod or stem 16, which at its upper end is in guidedconnection with the coupling 4 and extends downwardly therefrom into thecasing 1 and at its lower end passes through a guide sleeve 17 carriedby a bracket 18 supported by the lower casing head 3. The valve 14 ismovable upwardly to a position to close the passages 6 and 7 and cut offthe flow of water to the boiler and is movable downwardly andautomatically by gravity to uncover said ports and permit feed of waterto the boiler under action of the pump.

Arranged in spaced relation upon the valve rod above the guide member 17are contacts 19 and 20, each adjustably secured in position thereon by aclamping screw 21. Slidably mounted on the rod between said contacts isa main float or hollow spherical body 22, which is adapted to rest uponthe surface of the body of water in the casing and to be controlled inposition thereby.

The float 22 is mounted to slide upon the valve rod 16 between thecontacts 19 and 20, and when the water in the casing 1 is at its maximumnormal level, engages the contact 19 and holds the valve 14 closedagainst the feed of water to the boiler, as shown in Fig. 2. A bellcrank latch 23 is pivoted to the bracket 18 and provided with a latcharm 24 having a supporting shoulder 25 and a trip projection 26 and aweighted arm 27, which latter normally holds the latch arm'with theshoulder 25 in the path of downward movement of the contact 20, thuslocking the valve in closed position.

rlhe trip projection 2G is disposed in the path of downward movement ofthe main 'float 22 and is adapted to be depressed thereby to retract thelatch in a manner hereinafter described.

Slidably mounted upon the lower end of the valve rod below the guide 17is a smaller, secondary or signal controlling ioat 28, which is made ofsome metal which is a good conductor of electricity and which is adaptedat the limit of its downward movement to engage and electrically connecta pair of spring contacts 29k embedded in nonconducting material 30carried by a plug 3l supported by the cap 3, which contacts areconnected with the opposite sides of an electric circuit 32 including abattery or other suitable source of electric energy 38 and containing abell or other suitable signal 34, the bell and component parts of thesignal circuit being supported upon or in suitable relation to thecasing 1. Connected with the casing l is a water gage 35 of any suitableconstruction, whereby the level of the water in the casing may be atall` times ascertained.

Assuming that the boiler is supplied with water up to its maximum level,it will be understood that the parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the float 22 engages the contact 19 and holds the valverod 16 elevated with the valve in closed position to cut olf the flow ofwater to the boiler, and in which the float 28 is elevated out ofengagement with the contact strips 29 and the latch member 23 engagesthe contact 2O and holds the valve and valve rod against dropping motionunder the force of gravity. `When the water in the boiler descends belowthe maximum normal level, the level of the water in the casing l iscorre spondingly lowered and the float 22 falls therewith withoutaffecting the Valve rod until it descends sulliciently to engage thetrip projection 26, whereupon, if the water continues to lower, thelatch will be retracted under the weight of said float, which will bemoved to the position shown in Fig. 4, thus permitting the valve rod andvalve to drop by gravity to valve opening position for the flow of waterto the boiler, the downward movement of the valve and valve rod beinglimited by engagement of the lower contact 2O with the guide 17. Thisposition of the parts is maintained until the water in the boiler andcasing begins to rise again, and as the water rises in the casing itcarries up with it the float 22 which releases the latch 3, allowing thesame to return to normal position for the upward movement of the Contact20. As the float rises it finally engages the contact 19 and lifts thevalve rod and valve, bringing the latter to cut-off position when thewater again reaches its maximum level. 1f, however, from the failure ofthe pump or other cause, the boiler is not replenished with water afterthe float 22 has descended and the valve lt has been moved to openposition, the continued descent of the water finally affects the float28, which, as the water approaches its minimum level, comes in contactwith and engages the conductors 29, thus closing the alarm circuit 82and sounding an alarm. rlhis condition is reached at a time when thecrown sheet of the boiler still remains covered with water to the depthof say three inches, allowing the engineei ample time to replenish theboiler with water or to take other measures to prevent an explosion.Under ordinary conditions the pump is automatically set into operationwhen the water in the boiler and casing reach the level indicated by thearrow shown in connection with the gage glass 35 in Fig. 2. 1t will beunderstood, of course, that when a resumption of flow again occurs, bothfloats return to n0rmal position and the parts of the controller n areagain disposed for normal operation.

F rom the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,the construce tion and mode of operation of our improved safety feedwater controller will be readily understood, and it will be seen that itprovides an apparatus which is simple, reliable and etlicient in action,and which in the event of liability of danger will automatically sound asignal to warn the engineer.

The advantages of the device will thus be i readily understood andappreciated.

We claim l. A. feed water controller for steam boilers comprising awater containing casing in communication with the boiler, a valve for ii controlling the feed of water to the boiler, a rod connected with thevalve and movable vertically in the casing, said rod being adapted todrop by gravity to valve opening position, spaced contacts upon the rod,a main float slidable on the rod between said contacts and cooperatingwith the upper contact to lift the rod to valve closing position,locking means adapted to engage the lower contact to hold the valve rodin valve closing position and to be retracted to release the rod by themain float when the latter descends to a predetermined position,

a second float mounted on the rod below the level of the main float, anelectric circuit containing an alarm, and contacts included in saidcircuit and adapted to be connected by said second float to close thecircuit when said second float descends to a predetermined degree.

2. A feed water controller for steam boilers, comprising a verticalwater containing casing in communication at its lower end with theboiler, a vertically movable valve at the upper end of said casingcontrolling the flow of water to the boiler, a rod carrying said valveand depending into the casing, said rod being adapted to drop by gravityto valve-opening position, a pair of spaced contacts on the rod, a mainioat slidable on the rod between said contacts, a bracket supported bythe casing, a second Hoat slidably mounted on the rod below the level ofthe main oat and limited in upward motion by said bracket, an electriccircuit containing an alarm, contacts included in said circuit andadapted to be connected by said second float to close the circuit whensaid second float descends to a predetermined degree, and a pivotedlatch mounted upon the bracket, said latch having a weighted arm formaintaining it in locking position, a latch arm adapted for engagementwith the lower contact to hold the valve rod in valve closing position,and a trip projection adapted to be engaged by the main float on itsdescent to retract the latch and permit the valve rod to drop to valveopening position.

In testimony whereof we afx our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRED WALLACE. FRED ERNST. Witnesses:

Mino F. CoLvIN, BEULAH M. POUND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

